Ketamine is a “game changer” a “miracle drug” - John Krystal, MD, Yale University

IV Ketamine in Greenville

Serving the upstate of South Carolina

What is Ketamine?

Ketamine, is an anesthetic that has been used in operating rooms and clinical settings for decades. It's preferred because it has a very low risk of side effects compared to traditional anesthetics.

In recent years, research has shown that low dose Ketamine is incredibly effective as an antidepressant and to combat the symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse and more.

Ketamine’s role as an antidepressant

Ketamine was approved in 1970, although it was originally intended as safer alternative to existing anesthetics. But, in 2000, ketamine was shown to be incredibly effective as an antidepressant when administered at low doses. Research has now shown it’s benefits for PTSD, Anxiety, Pain, and more.

Unlike traditional antidepressants which can take up to six to eight weeks to begin bringing relief, Ketamine can rapidly improve depressive symptoms within a few hours of administration, and this relief can be sustained for up to two weeks or more following just a single dose even in individuals who have tried traditional therapy without relief.

Ketamine is thought to trigger neuroplasticity (a state when your brain can more easily learn, change and adapt), allowing the brain to make new connections and disconnect from old patterns of thinking, which contribute to mental health symptoms. This creates a temporary window for establishing new habits, thought patterns, and perceptions.

What to expect at MindWell

  • Intake: We consult with people who connect with us or are referred by their health care provider to make sure that they are a good fit. We ask them to fill out a short intake form

  • Base: For those who wish to move forward, we will schedule you for a visit at our first available time. We then administer a foundational treatment of 6, 40-minute ketamine infusions over two to three weeks based on recommended practice.

  • Growth: With the 70% or more of our patients who get relief of their symptoms, we closely monitor each patient's progress to determine the best timeline for booster therapy as depressive symptoms can gradually return typically somewhere between 2-8 weeks.

  • Maintenance: We work closely with each individual and their care team to track improvement and create a long term care plan.

When you arrive at MindWell, you will sign paperwork, and meet with one of our providers. You will be placed in a private room where an intravenous (IV) line will be started if you are receiving an infusion, it isn’t needed with intranasal Spravato. You’ll rest in a comfortable chair in our spa like rooms and monitors, including blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and heart rate will be placed then your treatment begins.

You should feel the effects of Ketamine working quickly. You will not lose consciousness and should feel relaxed, as the dose of medication is well under the dose used in operating rooms. Some patients may experience a dissociative effect and partially lose awareness of their body. Many will find this out-of-body experience to be bizarre, but pleasurable. The rate of the Ketamine infusion may be adjusted per patient to minimize any adverse symptoms. Typically the dissociative sensations resolve quickly after the infusion is completed. You must stay at the facility for 30 minutes after completion and you will need a driver to take you home as you are not allowed to drive the remainder of the day of your infusion.

The Infusion

The Relief

It's important to remember that relief will be different for every patient and may take several hours or even several days to appear. Relief can be subtle and is often noticed by family members prior to yourself as improvement function often comes before improvement in mood. There can be a spectrum of results, however Ketamine Therapy has provided overwhelmingly positive outcomes.

Ketamine infusion therapy has been shown to help people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD and other mood disorders.

Our Clinic

Our spa-like retreats are purposefully designed to bring feelings of comfort, reducing any stress or anxiety. The healing atmosphere helps you ease into your visit or treatment.

Features:

  • Relaxing treatment chairs

  • Noise-cancelling headphones

  • Curated playlists

  • Cozy blankets

  • Work with most major insurers

Is Ketamine right for me?

Ketamine Infusion Therapy and intranasal Spravato ketamine are most helpful for those patients suffering treatment-resistant depression. For many, conventional antidepressants simply do not provide depression relief. Ketamine has been proven to rapidly reduce depression symptoms including suicidal thoughts and begin restoring life function for 70 % of patients in less than 24 hours.

Ketamine infusions have also been shown to be effective for other conditions such as bipolar depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), fibromyalgia, and some pain disorders (CRPS).

Ketamine Infusion Therapy is not for those suffering temporary or situational depression caused by environmental factors, grief, relationship problems, etc. At Mindwell, we treat those individuals that have been unresponsive to traditional medications and/or therapy over a sustained period of intense suffering and extreme physical impairment.